What kind of restaurants and food you can find in Japan?
This blog is for "Food Lovers" who are planning to travel in Japan, who are non-Japanese speakers living in Japan and all who are interested in food culture of Japan!
英語で日本の食文化を紹介するブログです。

4 posts from March 2015

25 March 2015

Kuromon Ichiba (黒門市場) is a local food market in Osaka city center. The nearest station for the spot is "Nipponbashi" on subway lines, which is just one stop from Namba. If you do not mind taking a 10-minute walk or you prefer to take an option to save money for a subway ticket, the market is accessible even by walk from Namba, one of the major central area in Osaka.

From Nipponbashi subway station, take Exit No.10, the market street is less than a minute walk from the station.

Even though you are not so hungry, just go through the narrow local street, looking at what are sold there. You will find so many many stuff, mainly local food including fresh seafood, along both sides of the street. Small retail stores stand in a row.

At a look, that's a typical local shopping arcade in Japan.What is different for Kuromon Ichiba from other local markets is.... for last several years, the market becomes quite popular among Chinese speaking tourists. Then unlike other local shopping arcades in Japan, many local retailers place products appealing to the non-Japanese customers not only to local ones. That is the reason why, in Spring, we can find a box of luxury strawberry, including ones in white in front of a super market!! They are usually placed on shelf at the end of row, because such luxury products are not what many customers are looking for.

Also you will find signs and information in English not only in Chinese and Japanese at many shops. The market has more welcoming atmosphere for international tourists and it is easy to go around and to enjoy some food with lower language barrier.

Another point to mention is that the market offers eat-in space in the middle of the shopping street. The space is designed for international tourists who wish to enjoy take-away food from shops in Kuromon Ichiba. It's free to use and provides also restroom and vending machines and even wifi service as well as tables and chairs. Although some local restaurants are also available in the market, this will be a good option for those who visit the market out of lunch/dinner time and who would like to try variety of local food at reasonable cost.

22 March 2015

To meet a Ninja and learn his/her magical method might be one of your dream.

There is a hidden spot in Tokyo, where we can meet some Ninja and enjoy nice dining experience as well.

Ninja Akasaka is located near Akasaka-mitsuke subway station in central Tokyo, not far from the official residence of Prime Minister of Japan. We often visit the area where we can find some other interesting restaurants such as produced Umaya by a Kabuki actor. But we have overlooked the house of Ninja for long years as the entrance exists almost in hidden location. Ninja Akasaka is on the ground floor of Akasaka Tokyu Plaza, where Akasaka Excel Tokyu Hotel is accommodated. The building can be found easily by anyone when they get out from Akasaka-mitsuke subway station. But it is not easy to find the entrance of Ninja Akasaka.

Anyway, before looking for the entrance, we strongly recommend you make a reservation for Ninja Akasaka, because the restaurant is quite popular and is likely to be fully booked for every evening. Reservation is available from the official website here.

Well from here, it is our visit report....

Once we arrived at the restaurant, a couple of Ninja welcomed us and showed the way to our reserved dining table.

But on the way to the table, we were asked to take small training to be more familiar with the world of Ninja. Hahaha. Don't worry that was not so hard.

When we were finally seated, we got "a scroll" which is called "menu" in ordinary restaurants. To look at each of food descriptions on the scroll was fun, because most of them can never be found in any other restaurants. For example, "Shuriken star-blades grissini", Snow crab and grapefruit served "with a sword trick" etc.

At Ninja restaurant, we were also asked to have "another training to find a call bell hidden around our table." That was another fun experience even though it was too hard for us. Hahaha...

We have not been enough trained yet to be a Ninja!

We would NOT like to tell you so much about this restaurant, because that may spoil your surprising opportunities there. So we won't tell you so much but it was really joyful moment for sure.

We will show you a few more pieces of what we saw there.

One of icon menus, "Shuriken star-blades grissini" .

Treasure box served as ...

A cocktail served by a bowl for "goldfish"

Ninja restaurant hires cooks from different fields such as Japanese, Chinese, French etc.

So all the menu sounds innovative and interesting to enjoy the world of Ninja at the same time the food is in good quality. It also offers some alternative cuisine menu for vegetarians and other with food diet restriction.

Their Ninja have served some VIP guests from the world. And the plates satisfied even such people.

It's quite worth to visit there (with reservation!!) for having one of exciting moments in Tokyo.

21 March 2015

Did you know "Kamaboko"(かまぼこ)? It's Japanese traditional steamed fish cake. Even though you haven't know the name Kamaboko, you may have it as an ingredient or as a part of side dish.

Kamaboko usually has semicircle shape and in many cases it is served after sliced into thin pieces. Ordinary Kamaboko is in white color and some has pink color outer. Japanese people express celebration feeling with stripe pattern of white and pink made with sliced Kamaboko pieces. Some local versions exist with different shapes (such as ones looked like a leaf, fish) and colors.

Kamaboko is made from white meat of fish. After the fish meat is mushed, it is steamed in a mold. No record exists to know where and when Kamaboko was invented but in Japan at least it has 900 years history.

Suzuhiro (鈴廣) is one of major Kamaboko producers based in Odawara (小田原, next to Hakone). In 2015, it celebrates 150th anniversary of foundation. Today we are going to introduce interesting facilities to know more about Kamaboko in Suzuhiro's home-ground.

Kamaboko no Sato (かまぼこの里, the town of Kamaboko) is just a just a few minutes walk from Kazamatsuri(風祭) station on Hakone Tozan Train. It is in-between 2 major stations on Hakone Tozan Train, Odawara(小田原) which is accessible by Shinkansen from Tokyo and Hakone Umoto(箱根湯本) which is the gateway of Hakone sightseeing. So if you are interested in the fish processed food, it will be good to drop by the town of Kamaboko on the way to/from day trip of Hakone which is known for the viewspot of Mt. Fuji.

Kamaboko no Sato has some facilities to enjoy Kamaboko and Suzuhiro's other products in different ways from the flagship store, fish cake making experience, a restaurant and food market. Unfortunately basically all facility is provided with information in Japanese only but we introduce some facilities where international tourists can enjoy.

*Suzuhiro flagship store

First, at the flagship store in a Japanese traditional style building, make sure what looks like Kamaboko and how it is sold.

The brand name on the signboard is written from right to left.

The old writing style reminds us the long history of the Kamaboko producer.

We can find many variation of Kamaboko

that are not available at supermarkets in town.

*Kamaboko Museum

Although the explanation is in Japanese only, you will know how it is made from visual information such as pictures and actual producing activities.

At the center of the facility, the museum offers Kamaboko making experience program to tourists. It is visible for those who don't participate in the program.

This is "Chikuwa"(ちくわ) another type of fish cake.

Chikuwa has long straw like shape with a hole in center.

It is cooked by the museum staff after each participant made the shape of own Chikuwa.

*Buffet Restaurant

Making the most use of buffet restaurant, simply taste Kamaboko and other fish-made processed foods in different ways. You may discover new ways to enjoy those products. The Kamaboko producer knows the most ways to enjoy them.